Jacksonville lost one of its brightest local figures when Karin Tucker died on September 4, 2026. The 74-year-old restaurateur spent more than thirty years serving local diners and building a reputation that reached far past the kitchen. Current owner Jonas Loh confirmed her passing, sparking a wave of sadness across the city’s neighborhood spots.
Tucker made her first big mark in 1993 when she teamed up with her close friend Barbara Bredehoeft to open Biscottis in Avondale. The small neighborhood joint quickly grew into a go-to spot for family meals and weekend coffee. It gave locals a place where they felt right at home the moment they walked through the door.
Seven years later, the duo did it again. They opened bb’s on the city’s Southbank in 2000, bringing a fresh energy to the local dining market. The new place built on the success of Biscottis, giving people another cozy table for dates, work lunches, and weekend catch-ups.
Those who worked with Tucker remember a woman who lived for bringing people together. She spoke four languages fluently and possessed a rare knack for making anybody feel like family. Her former business partner, Barbara Bredehoeft, noted that Tucker had an incredible hand with spices and flavors that set her work apart.
About four and a half years ago, Tucker and Bredehoeft decided it was time to step back. They sold both restaurants to Jonas Loh and Lindsay Bush. Loh said he and Bush jumped at the chance because they cared deeply about the founders and wanted to keep their work alive for another generation.
News of her death hit regulars and former locals hard. Robert Arleigh White, a former Jacksonville resident who now lives in North Carolina, called the news heartbreaking. He pointed out that Tucker helped build the town’s modern dining scene from the ground up alongside Bredehoeft.
While family members have not shared her cause of death, plans are already moving forward to honor her life. Loh said the team is setting up a special celebration around October 19, which would have been her birthday. It will give friends, old regulars, and staff a chance to remember the woman who put so much heart into Jacksonville tables.
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